The Ways He Loves Her
by mrswerewolflautner
Summary: SongFic, Taylor Swift;Last Kiss. What Stella does to make Joe love her the way he does. I'm horrible at previews, just read please:   Strict Joe/Stella:


I've been working on this since yesterday and I skipped school to write this, so feel special(:

Songfic, Last Kiss by Taylor Swift.

She is so amazing! Her new album has been on replay for the past 3 days in my house...

_So I'll watch your life in pictures, _

_Like i used to watch you sleep,_

_And I'll feel you forget me,_

_Like I used to feel you breathe,_

_Hope it's nice where you are._

_All I know, _

_Is I don't know how to be something you miss…_

**It was the way she ignored him the last days before he left.**

_**May 30**__**th**__**.**_

"You ok?" Joe asked, glancing over to her from his work in the dusk light. She hadn't spoken in a half an hour, which was highly unusual for her. As long as he'd known her, she was always talking. About anything and everything.

"Yeah." Stella murmured back to him. "Just a lot on my mind..." She faintly smiled, without giving him a glimpse. She continued sewing the stitching in the black leather jacket. As without a care, another unusual thing. She was always extremely cautious of the items of clothing she was working on. Joe put down the sheet music and crossed the room towards her. Taking the materials from her hands pulling her from the chair.

"Come on. Take a break." He said, leading her towards the stairs.

"Joe I have to finish these." She groaned.

"There's plenty of time to finish."

"Have you seen the huge pi-"

"Stella." He interrupted her. "Shut. Up. Theres time." She sighed giving into him, knowing he would keep persisting if she didn't. Joe led her downstairs and to the island in the kitchen. "Juice, water, pie?" She smiled at the look on his face.

"Water."

"Fine. I want pie." His smile widened as he set the bottle in front of her and opened the case from the bakery.

"You enjoy pastries too much." She said plainly, heading for the stairs. The smile faded from his face as he stuffed the container back in the pantry. He chased her up the stairs where she was already back in the chair reaching for the jacket.

"What's wrong Stells." He took the jacket from her once again.

"Stop, Joe I have to finish this." Her voice ached.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." He pride her from the chair, flopping her on his bed. "Now-" He laid next to her. "What would be wrong, Miss. Stella Malone?" Joe said, in the British accent. She smiled and sat up, as he followed.

"I'm actually surprised you don't know..."

"Yeah. I know...Stella you do this every year, you know it's coming." He took her hand in his. Her eyes glistened with tears, threatening to spill over.

"I know, but every year I get more scared...that something will happen, you'll forget me...and it will be over."

"Stella..." His voice was low and soft. The voice that made her stop whatever she was doing and pay attention to the chills running up her back. He trailed off, staring into her eyes. "Nothing will happen, I promise you. It'll be over, and I'll be back before you know it." He whispered.

**It was the way she clung to him the last days before he left.**

_**June 1st.**_

Last day of junior year, last day her boys were here.

When Stella walked into the school that morning she saw Macy, Kevin, and Nick all huddled by the lockers, like it was their only source of heat. She walked over slowly, terrified of what the conversations would be like today.

"Hey guys." She said unenthused. "Um, I'll bring over those clothes today after school, if that's alright?"

"Yeah, that's fine. But there's not going to be anybody home, because we're all meeting up in preparation for tomorrow." Nick said with a faint smile.

"Oh. That's fine." She lied. Truthfully she wanted to spend all day with them, a certain Lucas in mind. They wouldn't see each other in three months, and it broke her heart every time to watch her whole life drive away from her. "Where's Joe?"

"He's gonna be late today. He woke up just as we were leaving." Kevin said, with a dumbfounded look. The first bell rang as everyone scattered and the hallway grew quiet.

As class started Stella felt her pocket vibrate. She pulled her phone out slowly, while Ms. Fuller's back was turned.

'Get out of class. (:'

'_Joseph__,__ why do you tempt me? I mean it __**is**__ the last day…'_ She whispered in her mind.

'I'm in Biology. Ms. Fuller will kill me.'

'Tell her it's an emergency, because it is.'

'The things I do for you Joseph.'

'But you love me. Meet me in the parking lot.'

She shut her phone, and without hesitation raised her hand.

"Yes, Stella." Ms. Fuller peered over her clipboard.

"Can I go to the restroom?" She asked the wrinkled depressed woman. She felt bad for her at times. Her husband had died a year ago, and she spent most of her time at school, probably because she hated being alone all the time. Stella promised herself if she ever lived alone, she would adopt about 15 cats and be the crazy cat lady on her street.

"Go ahead." She sighed. Stella smiled, grabbed her bag and left the room, practically running down the hall. When Stella made it outside she located Joe in the parking lot across the street and ran to him. He was leaning up against his silver car when he heard shoes against the pavement. He turned to see her coming towards him; he smiled as she jumped into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him. The too familiar scent of strawberries filled is nose. The scent he'd memorized since the first grade.

"Why am I here?" She said smiling.

"You are here, because I didn't want to have a minute without you." He opened the passenger door and smiled. "Your carriage awaits." Stella got in happily as he closed the door behind her.

At the end of the day they ended up in her room, lying on the bed. Joe was staring deep in her eyes, while she was explaining all the papers, and research she had to do to get into the community college next year. Watching the dusk sun hit her pink cheeks. He did care, he just didn't want to talk about it right now. Stella going to college meant more time apart.

He pulled her closer to him, knowing this was the last time he would hold her for a long time. He inhaled her sweet and innocent scent, remembering everything as it was at that exact moment. She got the hint to stop talking and changed the subject.

"You know I haven't spent a summer with you since we were thirteen."

"And we went to six flags." He smiled.

"And you fell asleep in the lazy river, and we couldn't find you for an hour." The natural laughter escaped both of them. Stella admired his perfect smile, his features and the one small dimple when he smiled, but only when he smiled at her.

He knew this girl would be heartbroken for the next months, and until he was holding her again she wouldn't be the same. The most important girl in the world would be shattered all summer; missing him, and he knew she didn't deserve that.

"I think, after this one, no tour for a while." He whispered.

_**June 2**__**nd**__**; 3 am.**_

"I'll see you tomorrow." He said, hanging on the railing, climbing down the side of her house. He was mostly a professional now, since he did it almost every night. She cried watching his car drive away. Once he had left she didn't sleep at all, beside herself in self-pity. Not even trying to close her eyes.

**It was the way she didn't cry, when she wanted to break down.**

At dusk Stella sighed as the purple light hit the side of her face. Flipping over in bed, she assumed it was safe to be noticed she was awake, and began to get ready. It took about an hour to be satisfied with herself before she was ready to go out the door. Pulling up to the Lucas' house, there was already an emptiness drilling in her heart, which would eventually turn into a gaping hole.

She counted the footsteps to the door, praying the floor wouldn't cave through from the pressure she felt on her shoulders.

She let herself in like she always would, greeted by Nick and Macy.

"Hey Stells." Macy said. Macy was obviously not that enthused either. Her and Nick had been dating since last summer in L.A. Even though, Stella predicted it all along.

"Hi guys." Stella said, with a fake smile. "You know where Joe is? I needed to drop off these two shirts."

"He should be back any minute. He and Kevin took a breakfast run to McDonalds." Nick told her. "They were craving pancakes."

She smiled. That was Joe. Always thinking about his stomach.

"Ok. I'll just put these upstairs." Stella made the long trudge to the boy's room. Sitting the shirts on the bed and organizing things in the closet. Stella heard a car door shut outside, and the front door open downstairs seconds later. Losing herself in thought she jumped when she felt arms around her from behind.

"Hey." Joe kissed her cheek. "I picked you up some breakfast." He knew she would be there when he got back. She smiled, touching his hands.

"No thanks. I'm not hungry." She whispered.

"Yeah you are." He smiled.

"No Joe, I'm really not."

"What's wrong?" He faced her.

"Nothing." She wiped her eyes quick, looking away.

"Don't think I don't know what's wrong." She took deep breaths forcing herself not to cry.

Joe pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. "I told you I'd be back soon."

"Yeah, but you don't know how it is to be left here alone." She pleaded with him, shaking.

"I feel alone every single day when I'm not with you. We're both in this together." Making her feel secure was easy. But most of the time only Joe could. He'd done it countless number of times throughout the years.

**It was the way she always wanted one last kiss.**

**11:36. **

Stella listened to the thunder in the distance, and the lightning as they grabbed the last suitcases and bags. Stella clutched to his arm as they walked outside where the bus was waiting to take them away from her. Joe loaded up his suitcases in the back then came and stood in front of her. Stella slipped her arms around him, leaning up against the bus.

"I love you." Joe whispered softly. Sorry was the look on his face, as he breathed in the scent of rain.

"I love you too." She whispered into his neck line. She could feel his heart beating, jumping through the thin fabric of his t-shirt. Smelling his scent of cologne and guitar straps. "Just promise me nothing will chan-" She was cut off by the soft lips.

"I promise." He said, watching the tears in her eyes. She enjoyed the rude interruptions he gave her every so often.

Joe kissed her again, as rain started pitter pattering, then pouring down on them. Not caring.

Her tears mixed with the rain as they fell to the ground. She let go shortly, their unison huffs of breath visible in the cold rain, before kissing him again. Holding onto the collar of his leather jacket, pulling him as close as he could be. Standing there as long as possible, before his father yelled to him over the rain, that they had to leave if they wanted to make it to Philadelphia on time. Stella kissed him one last time before letting go.

"I'll see you in September." Joe said smiling, watching continuous drops of water fall from her chin. He shoved his hands in his pockets, jumping up the bus steps and taking a seat. As the bus started to pull away he watched the rain soaking her. She stood there with Macy, smiling at him. Stella stepped onto the fresh wet sidewalk and hesitantly walked back to the house.

**It was the way he knew she would be there when he got back.**

Stella knew by the second day that if her agony was a movie Joe would be here by now. That he wouldn't be able to stand being away. She dreamt about him running home, but this was a reality. Though, in reality she could feel him from a thousand miles away. Wishing he was there to enjoy summer together, to be there in the morning air. To sneak out late at night and sneak back in early morning. For him to be there when she woke up every Saturday morning.

This was the way they lived their lives. It was their love. There was always someone who disapproved, someone who thought it was ridiculous, but it wasn't theirs to speculate. And though it was always hard, she knew he would be home soon, just like he promised.

**It was the way she would wait for him, that made him love her more every single day.**

_And I hope the sun shines and it's a beautiful day,_

_And something reminds you, you wish you had stayed,_

_You can plan for a change in, the weather and time,_

_I never planned on you, changing your mind,_

_And your name,_

_Forever the name on my lips…_

_~Taylor Swift; Last Kiss._

**_Reviews are very appreciated(:_**


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